Lock.



R. H. PITTMAN.

LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 9, 1907 905,574. Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

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rut norms PETERS co., wAsumamrl. n c.

R. H. PITTMAN.

' LOOK.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 9, 1907.

905,574. 7 Patented De.1,1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT H. PITTMAN, OF NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALFTO JOHN DOW KELLOGK, OF NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RORERT H. PITTMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at New Bedford, in the county of Bristol and State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Locks, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an improvement in locks, comprehendingspecifically an attachment designed for use with locks or the like,whereby the key for operating the lock is secured against withdrawalfrom the lock except after actuation of said attachment.

The main object of the present invention is the production of a look soconstructed as to secure the key against withdrawal exce t throughoperation of the mechanism by t e introduction of a coin, theconstruction permitting the free locking and unlocking of the keywithout reference to the attachment. a

The invention is particularly designed for use with lockers in railroadstations or the like, whereby the individual may secure a limited use ofa locker for the storage of such articles as he may desire, theattachment compelling the introduction of a redeterrm'ned coin beforethe user can withdraw the key, thereby insuring that the use of thelocker is paid for before the user can withdraw the key and safe guardthe articles within the locker. The attachment, therefore, provides anautomatic s stern for the storage of ackagesor the li e in railroaddepots an other places, thus dispensing with the necessity of anattendant and for the laborious and unsatisfactory checking method nowin use.

The invention in the perfect embodiment of details will be described inthe following specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing, in which Figure 1 is a horizontal section, partly in elevation,of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a perspective of the controlling lever.Fig. 3 is a plan of the key. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the lockproper, illustrating particularly the key locking plate. Fig. 5 1s asimilar viewwiththe locking plate removed. Fig. 6 is a similar view'with the tumblers removed. Fig. 7 is an edge view of the lockingmechanism. Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the casing.

Referring particularly to the drawings, my improvement comprises acasing 1 of approved size, having a hinged cover or rear wall 2,normally held in closed position through the medium of any desired formof look, as 3. To the inner surface of the for ward wall of the casingis secured the lock proper 4, comprising a suitable box-like member inwhich is mounted the bolt slide 5, carrying the usual nose 6 forengagement with a keeper. An operating dog 7 is pivotally supportedwithin the box 4, being shaped to engage a suitable recess in the boltslide and formed to be operated through the medium of a suitable key.Tumblers 8 of any desired number are pivotally secured within the box ona pin 9, said tumblers being formed at their relatively forward edgeswith notches 10 to engage the sto pin 11 on the bolt slide. So far asdescribe the parts are intended to represent an ordinary lockconstruction, which, by the introduction and operation of the key willdepress the tumblers to disengage the pin 11, and ermit freelongitudinal movement of the b0 t slide under influence of the operatingdog 7, the-latter being swung on its pivot through the medium of thekey.

The casing 1 is designed to be secured to the inner surface of the door12 of a locker or other com artment, the relatively for- Ward Wall of te casing being provided with abarrel 13 seated in an opening in the doorand serving to guide the key in its introduction into the lock. The key14 is of the usual flat type, the bit thereof being formed with wards 15to operate the tumblers and dog, the end of the bit having a projection16 to seat in an opening 17 in the lock wall and whereby to guide thekey in operation. In rear of the operating notches or wards, the key ismaterially reduced in Width to provide a comparatively narrow centralportion 18, for a purpose which will presently ap ear.

n conjunction with the look I use what I term a locking plate 19, saidplate being mounted upon a 1pivot pin 20 at the rear portion of the 100iand designed to overlie the key openings in the tumblers and operatingdog. In alinement with the openings of the tumblers the locking plate isformed with an elongated opening 21 of a size to permit entrance of thekey bit, this opening centrally coinciding with an ap roximatelycircular o enin 22 of somew at greater diameter t an the width of thereduced portion 18 of the key bit. The circular opening 22 projectsfarther below the relatively lower edge of the opening 21 than above theupper edge thereof, so that sufficient space is provided for therotation of the reduced portion 18 of the key when the locking plate isin elevated or operative position. The relatively forward e ge of thelocking late is formed with an inclined portion or s oulder 23, designedwhen the locking plate is in inoperative or lowered position to beengaged by the stop pin 11 on the bolt slide in the retracting movementof the latter, with the effect to cause the movement of said pin toelevate the locking plate into operative or looking position. In thisconnection it is to be particularly noted that the elongated opening 21of the locking plate registers with the similar openings in the tumblersand with the opening 38 in the casing 1, to be described, when saidlocking plate is in lowered or inoperative position, and that when saidplate is elevated or in operative position the relatively forward end ofthe opening 21 is raised out of registry with the key openings in thetumblers and with opening 38.

Secured to the forward wall of the casing l in rear of the lock properis arranged a coin chute 24, in which is slidably mounted a coin feedbar 25, the movement of which latter relative to the chute is limitedthrough the medium of a pin 26 projecting from the feed bar and throughan elongated slot 27 in the upper wall of the chute. The chute projectsthrough an opening in the locker door or other article to which thedevice is secured and projects beyond the forward surface thereof, theupper wall of the projecting portion of the chute being formed with anopening 28 of a size to receive the predetermined coin. The relativelyinner end of the feed bar is also formed with a coin receiving opening29, so that when the openings 28 and 29 register the coin will drop intothe latter opening and may be moved longitudinally of the chute by theoperation of the feed bar. The chute terminates within the casing 1 inthe semicircular discharge mouth 30, and the forward end of the feed baris formed with a relatively narrow opening 31 communicating with thecoin receiving opening 29. Mounted upon a bracket 32, projecting fromthe inner surface of the forward wall of the casing 1, is an L-shapedlever 33, to the shorter arm of which is secured an operating rod 34which extends in parallel relation to the forward wall of the casingtoward the lock proper, terminating above the lock and connected to aprojection 35 extending upwardly from the locking plate, as clearlyshown in. Figs. 1 and 4. The longer arm 36 of the L -shaped leverprojects normally in advance of the inner end of the coin chute,terminating about centrally of the width of said chute and beingprovided with a depending section'37, which projects across the mouth ofthe chute and in the path of movement of the opening 31 of the feed bar.The front face of the casing, that is the face next the door of thelocker, is provided with a keyhole opening registering with the openingin the barrel 13, this key-hole opening being, of course, fixed at alltimes in the same position.

The barrel and lock box are formed with projecting tongues, which passthrough openings in the forward face plate of the easing 1. and serve tosecure the parts together.

With the parts constructed and arranged as described and assuming thedoor locked and the key withdrawn, in which event the locking plate willbe in lowered or inoperative position, the operation of my improvementis as follows: The person desiring ac cess to the locker inserts the keythrough the barrel 13 and into the lock, such insertion being possibleowing to the lowered or inoperative position of the locking plate. Thekey is now operated to unlock the door, which movement alines thetumblers and withdraws the bolt through operation of the dog 7. Thismovement of the bolt slide will, through the. cooperation of the stoppin 11 with the shoulder 23 on the locking plate, tend to elevate thelatter into operative position. This movement, of course, elevates theforward end of the opening 21 in the locking plate out of re istry withthe openings in the tumblers, and opening in the easing, and therebyeffectually prevents withdrawal of the key from the look. In thisconnection it is to be noted that the key, when in operative position,will disposethe reduced portion 18 of the bit within the circularopening 22 of the locking plate, so that said key is freely operable atall times to lock or unlock the door, but the non-registry of theelongated opening 21 in the locking plate with the tumblers, asreviously described, prevents withdrawal 0'' the key. After depositingthe desired articles within the ocker, the same is locked by operatingthe key in the usual manner, but withdrawal of the key is stillimpossible owing to the position of the key within the locking plate. Acoin of the predetermined value is now inserted in the coin opening 28in the chute, the feed bar 25 is withdrawn until the coin falls into theopening 29 therein, whereupon the feed bar is moved inward to its limit.As

the coin falls in opening 29 in the feed bar it is obvious that saidcoin presents a closing edge at the inner end of the opening 31', and,therefore, as the feed bar advances this edge of the coin engages thedepending section orforward end of the locking plate. This movement ofthe locking plate registers the slot 21 therein with the openings in thetumblers and permits withdrawal of the key in the usual manner.

The invention is articularly applicable to those lockers or 0t ercompartments which are rented for temporary use, and for the use ofwhich a fixed rate is charged, as until the predetermined coin isdeposited and the attachment operated in the manner described, thetemporary user of the locker cannot secure possession of the key. Assuch possession is essential to safeguarding the articles he hasdeposited it is obvious that each user will be compelled to deposit thecoin in properly safeguarding the articles in the locker.

The casing l in addition to concealing the attachment and locking means,provides an efficient receptacle for the coins with which the attachmentis operated, it being understood that as the coin is utilized to o eratethe trip lever 33, it will gradually be forced from the mouth of thechute until, when the parts are in final osition, the coins fall fromthe opening 29 o the feed bar and into the bottom of the casing.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is

1. A look including a locking bolt, alocking plate arranged in the lock,means carried by the bolt to engage and operate the locking plate in theopening movement of the bolt, and coin controlled means for moving thelocking plate to inoperative position.

2. A look including a locking bolt, a locking plate, means carried bythe locking plate to engage and move said plate to key locking positionin the opening movement of the bolt, and coin controlled means formoving the locking plate into inoperative osition.

3. A look including a locking bo t, a looking plate arranged 1n thelock, said plate being engaged and operated in one direction by the boltduring the opening movement of the latter, and coin controlled means formoving the locking plate in the opposite direction.

4. A lock including a locking bolt adapted to be operated by a key, alocking plate adapted in inoperative osition to permit free insertionand with rawal of the key, and means carried by the bolt adapted in themovement of the latter in one direction to operate the locking plate andlock the key against withdrawal.

5. A lock including a locking bolt adapted to be operated by a key, alocking plate adapted in inoperative osition to permit free insertionand with rawal of the key, and means carried by the bolt adapted in themovement of the latter in one direction to operate the locking late andlock the key against withdrawa said bolt bein freely operable by the keywithout regar to the position of the locking plate.

6. A lock including a bolt adapted for actuation in either direction bya key, and a locking plate adapted in inoperative position to permitfree insertion and withdrawal of the key and in operative position toprevent withdrawal of the key, the looking plate being at all times freefor operation in 0th directions by the key without restriction from thelocking plate.

7. A look including a bolt, a locking plate ivotally mounted in the lockand having a ey slot to aline with the key slot in the look,

a projection carried by the bolt to engage the locking plate and operatethe same in the movement of the bolt to offset the key slot in saidplate with relation to the key slot in the lock, and coin controlledmeans for op erating the locking late to aline the key slot therein withthe ey slot in the lock.

8. A lock including a locking plate having a key receiving slot, a boltadapted on movement in one direction to operate the locking plate tooffset the slot therein with relation to the key slot in the lock, alever arranged to operate the locking plate to aline the key slottherein with the key slot in the lock, and coin controlled means foroperating the lever.

9. A look includin a bolt, a key for operating the same, a ocking plateoperated by the movement of the bolt in one direction to engage andprevent withdrawal of the key, and coin controlled means for operatingthe locking plate in the opposite direction to release the key.

10. A lock including a bolt, a key for operating the same, a lockingplate operated by the movement of the bolt in one direction to engageand prevent withdrawal of the key, and coin controlled means foroperating the locking plate in the opposite direction to release. thekey, said plate being formed to permit bolt operating movement of thekey in either position of the plate.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT H. PITTMAN.

Witnesses:

CHARLES E. DRAKE, JOHN D. KELLOCK.

